This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 with respect to Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-076499 filed on Mar. 17, 2000, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a door lock system for a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Arts
A type of door lock system for a vehicle is proposed in a Japanese Patent Publication H7-103735 published on Nov. 8, 1995. The door lock system for the vehicle comprises a) a latch mechanism including a latch which is provided in a vehicle door and which engages a striker secured to a vehicle body, and b) a link mechanism including a open link and an electric actuator member for selectively locking or unlocking the engagement between the latch and the striker. The open link is engagable and disengagable with the latch mechanism due to the electric actuator member. Therefore, the engagement between the latch and the striker selectively locks or unlocks the latch.
One type of the door lock system for the vehicle has a function mode which is called a xe2x80x9cone motion operationxe2x80x9d. The one motion operation simultaneously provides a canceling operation to cancel the locked state and an opening operation to enable the door to open. The canceling operation unlocks the latch mechanism by operating an inside handle which is disposed inside the vehicle at the driver""s seat side. The opening operation releases the engagement of the latch mechanism so that the door can be opened.
The link mechanism, for the type of door lock system which has the one motion operation mode, includes a safety lever arranged among the inside lever, a cancel lever and the latch mechanism. The inside lever is connected to the inside handle and is connected to the safety lever. The cancel lever is arranged between the safety lever and the open link to be engagable with the open link when the open link disengages with the latch mechanism. When the inside lever rotates, the safety lever rotates the cancel lever and engages the latch mechanism. Therefore, both the canceling operation and the opening operation are operated substantially at the same time by opening the door using the inside handle. Thus, momentary large operation force is necessary in order to open the door using the inside handle.
It is, therefore, necessary for a door lock system to address at least the foregoing drawbacks of the related art.
According to the present invention, the door lock system for a vehicle includes a) a latch mechanism which is adapted to a vehicle door and which holds or latches the vehicle door to a vehicle body, b) an open link which is engagable and disengagable with the latch mechanism, c) an inside lever which is adapted to an inside handle of the vehicle door and which is engagable with the open link and d) a cancel lever which is connected to the open link and which is arranged between the inside lever and the open link to be engagable with the inside lever when the open link is disengaged from the latch mechanism.